Hunt surprise omission for Wallabies against All Blacks

KARMICHAEL Hunt is a surprise omission from the Wallabies squad to face the All Blacks in Brisbane Saturday night.

The code-hopper had been expected to be included on home soil at Suncorp Stadium after recovering from an ankle injury.

Hunt, 30 (pictured), starred in the June window before his injury and it was thought coach Michael Cheika would at least have him on the bench.

But Cheika instead kept Samu Kerevi among the reserves as cover for the centre positions.

Lock Rob Simmons will replace Izack Rodda in the starting line-up after the second-rower underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on Wednesday.

That was the only change to the starting XV which defeated Argentina 37-20 in Mendoza two weeks ago.

Ned Hanigan has been brought back on to the bench after he was excluded for the match against Los Pumas.

Former skipper Stephen Moore has also been named among the reserves, for what will be his last Test match on Australian soil and his 125th overall - making him the ninth-most capped international of all time.

The third clash in two months against the All Blacks is a dead rubber, after August's 35-29 win in Dunedin sealed a 15th consecutive Bledisloe Cup series victory for the world champions.